Porsche has confirmed that the project is going according to plan and that the 918 Spyder will begin production in September of 2013 with the first cars being delivered to owners before the year is out.
According to Porsche, “The initial results of the driving trials are in line with the high expectations placed on the 918 Spyder.” That’s saying a lot as the 918 Spyder looks to be a revolutionary product for the brand, using a plug-in hybrid system with a mid-mounted gasoline V8 engine as well as two electric motors – one driving the front wheels and one acting on the rear wheels. Porsche claims power output will exceed 770 hp, while fuel consumption will hit 74 mpg.
Porsche says the technology developed for the 918 Spyder, including its full carbonfibre-reinforced polymer monocoque, fully adaptive aerodynamics, adaptive rear axle steering and upward-venting ‘top pipes’ exhaust system, offer a glimpse of the brand’s capabilities for its future full-scale production cars.